


Shattered

by Chowy



Category: Villainous (Cartoon)
Genre: 5.0.5 is going to sail this ship, Angst, Black Hat is concerned, Body Horror, Demonic Possession, Demons, Fluff, Ghosts, Gore, Horror, Hurt and comfort, M/M, Magic, Paperhat - Freeform, Possession, don't worry there will be fluff too, i'm going to break flug, my first work in this fandom please be gentle, to be updated as I write
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-06
Updated: 2017-07-17
Packaged: 2018-11-28 09:38:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11415204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chowy/pseuds/Chowy
Summary: He had stated he was a fan of Flug's, curious about what the scientist could do. Before he left he gave him that stone.But then he came back that night, and things were never quite the same.At first Flug was sick, but then when he got better, he began to have black-outs and gaps in his memory.Determined to help the poor scientist, Black Hat does something unexpected, help him.





	1. Possessed

He worked around a demon, he was present in all of those commercials for his boss’s catalogue, he practically was living in hell. So it shouldn’t have come as such a shock when a demon that wasn’t his boss wanted to see him. 

He had been working on a new project for his boss, a ray that shot fire. It had failed numerous times before, this was his…60th attempt at it? He had heard his boss’s voice coming from the main entrance, and couldn’t help himself as he eavesdropped on their conversation. 

“Who are you and what on Earth do you want?”

“Is..Dr. Flug here?”

That was the new voice, not as grungy as his boss’s, but still it held that demonic tone to it. 

“Dr. Flug? Why would you want to see Dr. Flug?”

“He’s the neurotic scientist in all your commercials isn’t he? I’d love to meet him.”

“I’m afraid he’s a little busy.”

“It won’t take long,” the stranger promised. 

“Look I don’t know who you are or what you want with Dr. Flug, but I’m afraid he’s too busy for any visitors. Now get off my lawn before I send my lunatic girl after you.”

“Oh Black Hat, we’re both the same here, both on the same side. We’re both evil, we both are full of ourselves, but most important…we’re both demons.”

“I’m not full-“

“That being said,” the strange said. “I believe I have something in my possession that would be useful for Dr. Flug.”

That part caught Flug’s attention. What could they possibly have that he’d want?

“That being?”

“Now you’re not a scientist are you Black Hat? Dr. Flug?” The stranger called. 

Flug slowly set the ray down and walked out of the lab, down the hallway and towards the main entrance. “Uh, someone call?” He asked. 

The strange was a tall, crooked man, a smile over his face that wasn’t like his boss’s, it was more…long and crooked. 

That’s what the man was. Crooked. 

“You must be the Dr. Flug! It’s my honor to address you…” the crooked thing said, dipping politely. 

“Uh…hello,” Flug said. 

“Dr. Flug, I was about to escort this…fiend away, so if you’d excuse us-”

“Nonsense Black Hat, Dr. Flug wants to see me then who are we to deny the scientist?” The stranger grinned a crooked grin. 

“Uh…well…I-’’ Flug couldn’t really argue against Black Hat. Mainly out of fear of being hurt, and as curious as he was to whatever this stranger had for him, he didn’t feel like being hurt at the time.

Black Hat let out a small growl. “Fine! Go! You have ten minutes before I personally saw your head off.”

“Thank you Black Hat,” the stranger said.

~~~

“So…you wanted to talk to me?” Flug asked, standing with his hands wrung as he watched the stranger look around his lab. 

“Precisely…and because of our…shortened time together, I think I may just make this quick and go,” the stranger said. They went into their pocket. 

“You see Dr. Flug,” the stranger said, continuing to browse the many beakers and test tubes. “I’ve taken an interest in your work. You seem like a rather smart individual…making shrink rays and anti-gravity devices…did you receive any training? Or are you self-taught?” 

“Uh…self taught…” Flug said. “For the most part, I did get a bit of informal training.”  
“Even more amazing,” the stranger said.

“Who exactly are you…?” Flug asked. The stranger turned to him.

“A fan of your works, someone who hopes to get to know you better,” the stranger said. “But if you need a name, you can call me the Crooked Man.” He extended a hand. Flug nervously took it. The handshake was quick, but firm. 

“I have something for you…something you may find of value. More of a token really, do with it as you want,” the Crooked Man said as he went into the pocket of his coat. He took out a long chain, with a red stone attached to it. “Do you recognize this stone?”

“Why…yes in fact I do! Stones like these are made at the center of volcanoes! They have an extraordinary amount of power in them! H-how did you get this?” Flug asked. The Crooked Man dropped the stone into the scientists clutch, walking towards the door with his grin over his face.

“A friend of mine…” he said. “I hope to hear from you soon Dr. Flug…we could become close friends…”

The Crooked Man walked out of the lab, leaving Flug alone. He blinked once before looking at the stone in his hand. 

Demencia came in a moment later, a smile over her lips. “What’s up with crooked guy? Saw Black Hat giving him hell!” She said, pointing with her thumb over her shoulder. 

“He…uh…I have no idea. He just came in and talked to me. He said he was a fan of mine,” Flug said.

“A fan of yours?! Since when did you have fans?” Demencia asked as she walked in and leaned on a lab table. Flug shrugged. “I don’t know…and to be honest I’m uncomfortable with it…he was almost like a stalker.”

“Ooh…a stalker!” Demencia said. “Seems like a nice guy!” She said. 

“Yeah…” Flug said. “He gave me this…” he held up the stone.

“Pretty!” Demencia said as she looked at it. “What is it?”

“It’s called a Fire Stone, it’s extremely powerful,” he said. 

“Neato! Gonna use it for your current project?” Demencia asked. Flug shrugged. “I may save it for when I need…maybe for one of Black Hat’s more bigger requests.” 

Demencia shrugged. “Whatever you want, I’d rather wear it than break it.”

She turned gracefully and began to walk out of the lab. “Well well well, look who’s coming for a visit. And a hint, it ain’t 5.0.5.”

Flug shivered. He wasn’t prepared for a visit from Black Hat. 

“Good luck Fluggy!” Demencia called as she walked out.

In came Black Hat. He didn’t seem mad but…he wasn’t pleased either.

“Uh…hello sir!” Flug said. 

“What did the Crooked Man want with you?” Black Hat demanded, storming right up to Flug.

“Nothing! I mean…he was a fan of my work and just wanted to give me something!” Flug stammered, shaking horribly.

“What exactly did he give you?” Black Hat asked. 

“Just a Fire Stone!” Flug said as he held up the stone. Black Hat snatched it and backed away, examining it. 

“Don’t use it for anything…it could be enchanted with some…black magic,” Black Hat said.

“Where should I put it?” Flug asked. He was a little disappointed he couldn’t use it, but saw no sense in arguing with Black Hat. 

“Anywhere! Just put it away and don’t use it!” Black Hat snapped as he threw the stone back at Flug. Flug caught it. 

“Uh right away sir!” Flug said. Black Hat’s lip curled as he muttered a small, “Good.”

“Oh and Dr. Flug.”

Flug looked up as Black Hat made his way to the exit. “I hope that ray will be done by tomorrow.”

“Of course sir.”

Black Hat left the lab. Flug sighed and went to a drawer, throwing the Fire Stone into it and slamming it shut. He’d have to pull another all nighter. It wasn’t that he wasn't used to it, he had more night of no sleep than nights of sleep, which didn’t help his neurotic behavior.  
It’s just that they were annoying, long, and usually would require more than two cups of coffee to keep himself going. 

He worked into the hours of the night, tinkering with the ray. It was by his 80th attempt that something went bump in the night. 

He turned. 

“Hello?” Flug called. He shook it off and went back to the ray. However something else made a sound, causing him to jump and turn. 

“Demencia! If that’s you, knock it off!” He snapped. There came no reply, not even a small girly giggle from the girl. It was totally silent now, just him, the darkness, and the small bit of light from his desk lamp. 

“Black Hat sir?” He asked meekly. 

He reached behind him and grabbed the prototype. “Wh-who’s there?!” He called, his shaking arms pointed into the dark. 

“There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile…”

It was a familiar voice. 

“Crooked Man is that you?! You can’t be here!” Flug said. “Leave!”

“He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile…”

The voice was getting closer, along with heavy footsteps, and as they drew closer Flug was aware of his heart beating against his ribcage. His hands shook violently, adrenaline was fueling his body. Could he run? Could he even scream? His throat was starting to get tight with fear. 

“He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse…”

His breathing got faster, the bag over his face almost causing him to hyperventilate. He was scared…so very scared. He would have preferred Black Hat to this. Black Hat wouldn’t scare him this much. Just a quick jolt of fear and Black Hat would laugh and say, “Get back to work Flug.”

But this was taking it too far. 

“And they all lived together in a little crooked house…”

The voice was right there, practically about to jump at Flug. Everything seemed to freeze. All Flug could hear was his own breathing. 

“G-g…” he couldn’t even speak a ‘go-away’, he was so frightened he could hardly stand. His stomach felt weak and tied in a knot. 

The next second happened in slow motion. 

Something in the dark sprung, claws flared out and mouth wide open. He screamed and dropped the prototype, shutting his eyes tightly. 

No claws or teeth passed over his skin. A terrible, burning cold ripped over his chest. Flug froze mid air as the cold went through his whole body. He was suspended in air for a second. Clawed hands found their way to his shoulders. 

“And we’ll all live together in a very crooked house…”

And like that he was dropped against the ground, weak and horribly frightened. He could help as tears slipped from his eyes as he laid there trembling, like a child just awoken from a nightmare. Something within him felt different…something wasn’t the same. 

He looked up as a blinding white light flashed on in the lab, a tall dark figure standing in the doorway. For the first time in his life, Flug was happy to see Black Hat. 

“Flug! What in the-”

Flug vomited. He threw his head down and retched, over and over, until finally his stomach was empty and nothing came up. The paper bag on his face was soaked, he was practically laying in a pool of his own bile. He looked to Black Hat, who was shocked, but not frightened. He quickly went to the mess of a human and extended a hand. 

Flug took it, and Black Hat pulled him up and wrapped his arm around him, the scientist leaning on the demon for support. He was still trembling, shaking horribly. 

“Shh, calm down. You’re a wreck right now,” Black Hat said. He spotted 5.0.5 and Demencia standing on the stairway. 

“Oh gosh! What happened to Flug?” Demencia asked. 

“Later. Demencia, go clean up the lab and look for any intruders! 5.0.5, go get the first-aid!” Black Hat hissed. Demencia nodded and hopped over the railing of the stairs, racing to the lab. 5.0.5 scampered back up the stairs. 

Flug took a jagged breath in. The world was becoming blurry…his head felt light. His eyes could barely keep open. 

“Flug, stay awake!” Black Hat snapped. “Flug!”

“Sorry sir…” Flug muttered. His eyes fell over his eyes. “Sorry…”

Everything went black


	2. Sickened

Within the blackness of his mind he found a new definition of hell. 

He walked the crooked halls in the nightmare, turning when he heard whispers. But he kept walking forwards. Always go forwards. 

“Our crooked house…”

He stopped. What little light there was in the hallway stopped dead, into darkness. 

He stared into that darkness. 

“H-hello…?” He whispered. Not even an echo came back to him. 

The sound of twigs creaking caught his ear. He turned in a circle, searching his surroundings.   
Nothing. 

Hot breath pulsed against his neck. He shut his eyes. Long crooked fingers hooked his shoulders. 

“Hello Dr. Flug.”

He screamed.

~~~

The blackness was ripped away, and he was brought to life in a screaming storm. 

Black Hat broke into the room alarmed, he stared at Flug. He quickly went to Flug’s side. 

“Flug! Flug calm down!” Black Hat hissed. He gripped Flug’s shoulders. “Flug!”

Flug stared at Black Hat, grabbing his elbows and staring at him, gasping. He was sweating horribly. 

He got out one word. 

“Nauseous.” 

“You’re nauseous?” Black Hat asked. “Here, here take this,” he said as he snapped his fingers. He conjured a bowl shaped object from his magic. 

Flug pulled the paper bag up just to reveal his mouth. He leaned over the bowl, and waited. The nausea swelled in his stomach, and finally it grew to be too much. He vomited. 

As he sat there, puking, hot tears whelmed in his eyes. 

“Shh, it’s okay Flug,” Black Hat said, resting hand on top of Flug’s head. “Relax.”

When the vomiting ceased, Flug broke into a frightful outbreak of sobs. 

“I’m sorry sir! I’m sorry! I’ll-I’ll get to work on that ray as soon as possible sir!” He immediately tried standing, but the moment he did, his weak knees gave out and he fell back into his bed. 

“Flug, you’re in no condition to work on anything,” Black Hat said as he snapped his fingers again. Flug’s legs flew back up onto the bed. “You’re running a fever and you’re stomach is   
in disgusting condition. Until this little bought runs it’s course, I don’t want you doing anything. There’s no point in working you if you’re going to be vomiting everywhere,” Black Hat said. 

“But sir! You wanted the ray done by today!” Flug said. “I-I could just finish it and then get better!”

“And risk you contaminating the whole building? No, you’re much better here,” Black Hat said. “Now rest up, you’re useless to me for now until you get better.”

Black Hat looked to the blankets. “Do you want blankets or no?”

“No…I’m really hot…” Flug said. 

“Very well,” Black Hat said. He turned to leave. “If you need anything, just call.”

Flug nodded once before finally relaxing. The bowl full of vomit had been left by his beside, just in case. 

Black Hat shut the door behind him. Though he knew Flug was sick, he had no fear of himself catching the disease. Beings such as himself weren’t known to catch human disease. 

“Demencia! 5.0.5!” He called. 

Demencia came rushing down the hall, 5.0.5 stumbling after her. “Yess Black Hat?” She asked. 

“Listen for Dr. Flug, he’s ghastly sick and will probably need something. If he needs anything, let me know as soon as possible,” Black Hat said. “I can’t risk you both getting sick.”

“So what exactly is he sick with?” Demencia asked as Black Hat walked away. 

“I’m not sure,” Black Hat said. 

~~~

Obeying Black Hat, Demencia sat outside Flug’s door. 5.0.5 was beside her, toying with a rubber ball. 

“Man, I know Flug’s a little…weak, but I hate to see him like this, you know?” She said, looking at 5.0.5. “He’s usually stumbling around like the idiot he is looking for some part for his project or nervous about some stupid thing,” she said. “Heck, he’s even afraid of spiders! Spiders!” Demencia said, turning to 5.0.5 to see him more properly. “I just hate to see him so…down in the gutter.”

5.0.5 nodded and made a sad sound. 

“I hope it’s just a-you hear that?” Demencia asked, putting her ear to the door as she listened. 5.0.5 looked over her, placing his ear to the door. 

“He’s talking! I think he’s awake!” Demencia said. “Come on!” She said, slowly opening the door. 

5.0.5 grabbed her arm and tugged, making a desperate sound of plea. “What?” She asked. He made another sound. 

“Oh I see, you want to get Black Hat. Don’t worry we will!” She said. “I just want to show him two friendly faces real quick!” She said. “Just for a minute!” 

5.0.5 let out another sound but let go of her arm, reluctantly following after her into the room. 

“Flug?” She asked quietly. “You awake buddy? It’s me! Your pal Demencia! 5.0.5’s with me!”

The room was dark, probably so Flug could sleep better. It smelled horrible, like rotten meat. 

“Flug?” She asked again. 

He muttered something under his breath. 

“What was that? I couldn’t hear you! Speak up!” Demencia said. Flug muttered again. She walked closer, leaning in to hear him. 

“He had a crooked cat that caught a crooked mouse…and they all lived together in a little crooked house…”

“Ah! Crooked man rhyme! One of my favorites!” Demencia said. She realized Flug was simply talking in his sleep. “Well we’re gonna go and-”

Flug shot up, sitting up. 5.0.5 whimpered loudly and fled. 

“There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile…”

“Uh, right!” Demencia said. She quickly left the room and slammed the door shut. 5.0.5 whimpered. 

“Let’s go get Black Hat. Black Hat will see he’s muttering nonsense and fix it!” Demencia said. 5.0.5 grabbed her arm and whimpered. “What?” She asked. “Aren’t you concerned for Flug?”

5.0.5 nodded but he still looked trouble. He looked to the room. “What?” Demencia asked. 5.0.5 shook his head. Dememcia sighed gruffly. “Fine, you stay. I’m going to go get Black Hat!”

She raced down the hall. “Black Hat!” She called. 

She found Black Hat in his quarters, mindlessly reading over a document. “Black Hat!” She said. 

“What is it Demencia?” He asked looking up. “Unless it’s about Flug I don-”

“It is about Dr. Flug! He’s talking in his sleep! 5.0.5 and I heard him! He kept-”

“And you heard this how? You went into his room?!” Black Hat asked, standing abruptly. 

“Well, uh-I mean just for a peak really, we didn’t even get that close to him!” Demencia said, rubbing the back of her head. 

“Demencia, I gave you simple orders. If you hear him, come get me, and to have stayed out of his room!” Black Hat was upon her now, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt and picking her off the ground. “What was so hard to understand about that?!”

“N-nothing boss!” She said quickly. “We just…” he dropped her. 

“Enough. Last time I…” Black Hat’s voice trailed off into a low grumble. Dememcia bit her nail, slowly standing and following after him. 

He reached Flug’s room and motioned 5.0.5 away, opening the door and walking in. Demencia waited in the hall for the fear of being yelled at. 

“Flug,” Black Hat said. “Are you awake?”

Flug was awake. “H-hello sir…” he muttered. 

“How’s your stomach?” Black Hat asked. 

“I…I threw up again…” Flug said. “My stomach hurts…”

“I’d imagine so, you’d be lucky if there’s anything even left in your stomach at this point,” Black Hat said. “Besides that, how are you feeling?”

“Tired…” Flug said. 

Black Hat opened the curtains in the dark room with a flick of his hand. Flug flinched at the bright light. 

“I’ll be back,” he said as he left the room again. Flug nodded. 

“5.0.5, guard this door,” Black Hat said. He looked to Demencia. “You, go make yourself useful. I haven’t the time to deal with you right now.”

Dememcia looked hurt by that, watching Black Hat continue down the hall. 5.0.5 looked to her softly, pressing his nose into the girl’s neck. She turned and hugged him, crying into his shoulder before slowly standing. “I…I guess I better go find something to do…” she muttered. “Maybe I can go scrub Flug’s lab…or…” she sighed. “He’s always pushing me to the side.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Well I’ll show him! I’m gonna be so helpful…he’ll actually have to thank me for my help!” 

She turned and stormed off, determined to impress Black Hat in some way. 

5.0.5 was left sitting by the door. He listened into the room, hearing Flug throwing-up. It pained him to see his friend so hurt, his creator. He wished he could go in and hug Flug, stay by his side and assure him it would be okay. But alas, in fear of Black Hat, he stayed outside. 

He turned when he heard footsteps. Black Hat returned with a teacup in one hand and a thermostat in another. “Open the door,” he said. 5.0.5 did as he was told, moving away from the door and opening it. 

“Close it behind me,” Black Hat said. He went in. 5.0.5 shut the door. 

Flug was sitting up, just pulling his paper bag over his face. 

Black Hat placed the teacup by Flug’s side and then handed him the thermostat. “Put that under your tongue,” Black Hat said. Flug did so, pushing the thermostat under the bag and into his mouth. 

There was an awkward wait between them before Black Hat pulled the thermostat out. “104, that’s a fever alright.” He picked the teacup up and gave it to Flug, conjuring straw in it. 

“Drink up, that’s peppermint tea, it should help with your stomach,” Black Hat said. “Keeping fluids in your body in important, especially with how much you’ve been throwing up.”

“Uh, thank you sir,” Flug said. He took a sip through the straw. “Sir, if you don’t mind me asking, why are you being so…”

“Kind?” Black Hat asked. “Truthfully Dr. Flug, I do like to torture you, but I can’t stand to see you sick to the point you can barely walk. As I’ve said, a sick scientist is a futile scientist, so I want you to heal quickly.”

Flug took another sip of the tea. It tasted good, like normal tea, except a more refreshing minty taste. He wasn’t a big tea drinker, but he didn’t refuse it, especially if it was to help him. 

“Am I okay sir?” Flug asked. 

“Of course Dr. Flug,” Black Hat said. “Dinner will be in…” he took out a golden pocket watch from the pocket of his coat. “Two hours. I’ll be back with something hopefully you’ll be able to keep down. Finish that tea,” Black Hat said. “5.0.5 is outside your door if you need anything.”

Flug nodded and continued to drink. Black Hat walked out of the room with the thermostat. The door closed, leaving Flug in the room. 

Flug looked around the room as he finished the tea, setting the cup on his nightstand beside the vomit bowl. He shivered and pulled the covers over his body. Despite running a fever he was freezing. 

He looked up when the curtains suddenly closed shut. He laid back, curling up. His stomach was calm for now. That was good. His mouth felt disgusting and his throat burned. 

He tried sleeping again, it was the only thing he could do. 

However sleep brought no rest. He was brought back to that nightmare. That horrible, horrible nightmare where he was being hunted. Running through the halls of the labyrinth of a house, being chased by the Crooked Man. Each time it ended differently, but never happily. 

Sometimes it ended with a confrontation with the Crooked Man, sometimes it ended with the Crooked Man eating him, and sometimes…it ended with himself eating the Crooked Man. 

He shivered. He found himself lost in the nightmare, desperately searching for a way out of that hellhole. But every corner he took, it went to another hallway. 

Flug stopped and looked around. Instead of running, he simply sat down and curled up, looking down and covered his ears. 

“Go away…go away…” he whispered. “Please just…go away.” 

He was aware of something lurking, passing around him as if examining him. He did not dare open his eyes. 

The something left, leaving him alone. He looked up. 

He was back in his room, soaked with sweat. He couldn’t have been asleep that long…could he?

He looked to his right for the clock by his bedside. It was close to nine at night. 

Food had been left for him. Light food, season white rice with pieces of chicken. He took the paper bag off, eating quickly before putting the bag back on. He set the emptied dish by his bedside and leaned back. 

He tossed and turned, sleep not wanting to come. He ran his hands over his head, trying to relax. Anxiety still gripped his chest from the dream…the nightmare. 

He tried to calm himself. Tomorrow, Flug promised himself. He’d explain the nightmares to Black Hat. He had to know, perhaps they were linked to something. 

He tried to sleep again, but a terrible pain crossed over his abdomen. He tossed, but it happened again. He turned back onto his backside and pulled up his shirt. 

Three long bruises went down his abdomen, almost like claw marks made from within his body. He began to breathe heavily. He then saw it, three long crooked fingers pushing up against his skin and brushing over the bruises. The pain was terrible, he had to bite his lip to keep himself from screaming out in agony. 

When he opened his eyes, the hands and the bruises were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of good ideas forming for this! I'll probablt upload a lot more frequently than once a week. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	3. A Midnight Snack

Demencia yawned loudly, picking at the food she had heated up to serve as breakfast. She wasn’t very hungry, but she knew she had to eat something. As she toyed with her food, she heard footsteps. Assuming it was Black Hat, she quickly spoke. 

“Morning Bl-” it wasn’t Black Hat. 

Flug was up and MOVING, when just yesterday he was terribly sick. 

“Flug?” She asked. “What are you doing up? If Black Hat finds you out of bed he’s going to kill you.”

Flug didn’t answer. He went to the coffee brewer with a mug. 

“Flug!” Demencia said louder. “Are you okay?!”

He turned. “I’m fine! Calm down!” He snapped. 

“You were deathly sick yesterday!” She said. 

“Must have just been a twenty-four hour thing,” Flug said. He picked up his filled mug with a straw. 

“Since when did you take your coffee black?” Demencia asked. Flug shrugged. As he moved away, a small spider moved out from the darkness between the coffee brewer and the wall. Flug jumped. 

“Here, I got it!” Demencia said. However, Flug was quicker. He smashed it with his fist. Demencia froze. That was NOT Flug. Flug was horrified of spiders, he hated them. He refused to go inside any room he spotted a spider in. 

Flug wiped his hand on his shirt and then walked away. 

“Flug…?” Demencia asked. 

“Sorry Demencia, I’m busy,” Flug said. He kept walking towards the lab, leaving Demencia with a dead spider. 

~~~

He reached the lab, stepping in and setting the coffee mug down. He picked up the unfinished ray. 

Something was different about himself today, something wasn’t right. A sickness of that harshness shouldn’t have been able to pass through in under twenty-four hours. Yet it had, and here he was. 

He took a deep breath in and stared down at the ray. 

For the longest time, he thought he’d finally found something he could settle in at. Hell knows that piloting ended in fire (literally). 

But now something inside him wasn’t in place, like a puzzle that had a final piece that didn’t fit. 

He gritted his teeth and clenched the ray tighter. Something dark overtook his thoughts. A voice, a familiar voice. 

The Crooked Man. 

“Feed me…” he hissed. “Feed me…”

He shut his eyes. “Go. Away.” He snapped. 

“Feed me Flug…feed me…” the demon whispered in his head. 

Flug looked to his hands, to the ray. He was clenching the ray tighter, his hands slowly shifting within the gloves that encased them. They knitted themselves to be narrow and…crooked. 

He squeezed the ray until finally it shattered in his grasp. 

“Feed me Flug…” the voice whispered. 

“Get out of my head!” Flug screamed. He ran his arm across the nearest surface, a table covered in test tubes and beakers, some still filled. They slid clean off the table and onto the floor, shattering. 

“FEED ME!”

“SHUT UP!”

He flipped the table, eyes shut at the inhuman rage within his mind. It was hard to tell which thoughts were his own. Things were starting to grow fuzzy between his soul and…and something else’s. Their shared thoughts were confusing him. 

The thoughts were suddenly silenced, almost as if something scared them away. 

Flug quickly looked to the ray and picked up the broken pieces. He shook. He had to get it done by today…and he was back to square one. 

“I-I can fix it…” he whispered to himself. “I can fix it…” his mind slowly went dark, but he was aware that his body wasn’t sinking. 

It was floating. 

~~~

“I’m impressed Dr. Flug,” Black Hat said as Flug presented the ray. He set it down gently. “Yesterday you were so sick you could barely stand and today…you finished the ray,” Black Hat said. 

“I’m hard worker sir,” Flug said. “I guess a day of rest was all I needed.”

“Yes…it would appear that way,” Black Hat said. He looked at Dr. Flug. “But this isn’t the work of Dr. Flug I’m afraid. You see Dr. Flug would be shaking in his boots if this were him. You however, hold yourself as if you were me.” Black Hat laughed. 

“Truly I am amazed how you managed to slip past my senses for that long, but I guess you just went dormant. Now here you are, you took control of Flug for the time being, but I know you, your powers will drain, and you’ll force Flug to feed on the flesh of mortals,” Black Hat said. “Now tell me Crooked Man, how did you get into my house again?”

Flug, or the Crooked Man rather, made a strange sound. “As if I’d tell you.”

“Well you already a new vessel, and you managed to find a source of power for now. Whatever you used to get to Flug is no longer of value to you…” Black Hat paused and stood up from his desk. “It was the Fire Stone, wasn’t it?”

Flug made another sound. “The damn fool took it eagerly…his trust will be the end of him.”

“And what exactly are you using right now to talk to me?” Black Hat asked. 

“His SOUL,” Flug growled out. “Such purity…such innocence…it provides power for now…”

“Until you hunger again…” Black Hat said. “But I’m afraid using his soul will kill him. And if he dies, you die too.”

Suddenly Flug’s body began laughing, but it was the laugh of the Crooked Man that came from his lips. 

“You don’t know what I did to him…”

Black Hat’s eyebrow furrowed. “Of course I do! You possessed him! I know the work of my own kind when I see it!”

Flug kept laughing. “Oh Black Hat, it’s been so long since you’ve possessed someone. Things have changed…” he paused, and gripped his chest. 

Suddenly Flug’s body fell back in a sudden jerk. Flug gasped when he hit the ground and convulsed, before shooting up grasping his throat. 

“Flug!” Black Hat hissed. Flug shakily stood. “H-how did I get here?!”

“Shh, you have to calm down. Fear will only feed it,” Black Hat said, kneeling beside he scientist. 

“What?! Feed what?! Sir what’s happening to me?!” Flug begged, gripping onto Black Hat’s coat. “I can’t remember anything! I can’t remember waking up this morning!”

“Flug calm down,” Black Hat hissed. The parts of the bag underneath of Flug’s goggles slowly turned wet. “I don’t know what’s happening to me and I’m scared! Wh-wh-…” Flug’s voice suddenly stopped. He placed his fists against his temples. “LEAVE ME ALONE!”

“Dr. Flug!” Black Hat snapped. “Focus! Don’t listen to him! I can help you, but you have to listen to me instead of him!”

“He’s so loud…” Flug whispered. “I-I-I…” his breathing was jagged. “I can’t control myself…” Flug yelled again, and within a second he was gone. 

~~~

Flug awoke in the middle of the street. It was already dark outside…almost midnight.

If it hadn’t been for the rain, he may not have been awoken. He could hear thunder pounding in the sky, lightning flashing in the sky. He slowly sat up, looking around. He was in the middle of a road in a neighborhood he didn't recognize. 

Where was he? Was he far away from home? How long had he been away? He couldn’t remember…he couldn’t remember anything. 

Was he dead?

He slowly stood, searching for some sort of sign he could recognize and use to get home. As he walked, with the rain pouring down on him and the lighting above him flashing, the paper bag over his face was soaked, causing his face to get wet.

Nothing on him was dry anymore. He looked around. No, nothing was familiar. 

He paused suddenly, and gripped his temples as the voice returned.

“Feed me…”

Flug growled, and as he was about to speak, he could taste something in the air. He slowly moved his hands away from his head. His sense of smell was incredibly heightened, it was inhuman. Everything had a distinct smell, and when he tasted the air he could taste the fresh rain against the back of his throat.

“Go…feed…”

 

He shook his head, but it failed to clear it. In fact, it only made his thoughts grow fuzzy. It happened again. His own thoughts and the thoughts that weren’t his own were begin to blur, and he couldn’t tell the difference between his sane thoughts and the thoughts that belong to the Crooked Man. 

“Feed me…”

He confused these thoughts for his own, and using this new sense of smell, he smelled the air like a hound. 

Fresh meat, he could smell it. 

Flug slowly began to move towards it. The hunger was his own, the thoughts slowly became his own. He picked up pace, going faster.

“Yes…feed…flesh…”

The smell was overpowering now, he could feel the pit of his stomach hurt from hellish hunger. 

The smell had come from a cat, a stray by the looks of it. At first he was hesitant. Could he even catch a cat? Did he want to catch a cat?

“FEED ME!”

Something yet again changed within him. He clenched his chest as his heart rate picked up, his hands once again contorting and changing into long crooked hands. Except this time, they broke from his gloves. He was mortified. These were not his hands. These hands were narrow and boney, these hands had claws, these nails could KILL something…

He looked to the cat again. 

“Here kitty kitty kitty…”

~~~

5.0.5 was the one who found Flug. They had been searching for the past eight hours for him, it was past midnight.

Flug was monstrous. He had raised the soaked paper bag off his head just enough so he could feed on the poor kitty. It’s flank and skin had been ripped open, it’s organs long gone. Now Flug was just ripping flesh from it’s bones. 

His hands…his hands were not human. 

Flug picked up the cat by it’s neck and took a bite, the muscle being reared from the bone making a horrible ripping sound that would keep 5.0.5 up at night.

Did he approach? Did he go get Black Hat? What were you supposed to do when you find your creator eating a cat?

He approached slowly, but stopped as Flug looked up from his morbid meal. He sat 5.0.5 and made a strange growling sound in his throat. 

5.0.5 was terrified to see him this way. He wanted to run, he wanted to get Black Hat. But Flug was standing now, blood still running from his mouth and the hands that were not his. He slowly brought the paper bag down over his face. 

5.0.5 swallowed his fear, freezing as Flug drew closer. 5.0.5 made a whimpering sound, and then let out a cry. He kept making these crying sounds, begging for Flug to come back. He so desperately wanted his Flug back, the one who raised him, the one who defended him when he was still a cub and wasn’t housebroken. His Flug, the caring, compassionate, and kind Flug.

“5-5.0.5…?”

5.0.5 looked up. Those demonic hands were gone. The evil that surrounded Flug was gone, he was himself. 

He looked at the blood on his hands and gasped. “D-Did I hurt someone?!” He asked. 

5.0.5 slowly pointed to the cat. Flug turned, walking towards the cat and picking it up. “I’m sorry…” he muttered. He dropped it into a trash can that laid beside the curb.

Then he slowly broke down, shrinking to the ground and began to cry.

5.0.5 quickly went to him. He grabbed Flug into a tight hug, cooing as Flug cried into his shoulder. “5.0.5…I don’t know what’s going on or what happened to me…I’m so scared…”

5.0.5 hugged him tighter, still making the cooing sound for Flug as he cried.

Black Hat watched the scene curiously. The demon had told him it fed off purity, but here it had fled from Flug’s consciousness when it saw 5.0.5. 5.0.5 had something that scared the demon. 

No…no it wasn’t fear that drove that demon away. Demons just don’t get scared. It was something that made Flug’s soul fight from the inside and take control again. 

He just wasn’t sure what it was. 

He approached. “Flug.”

Flug broke from 5.0.5’s hug and stared at Black Hat. “Sir! Sir I’m sorry! I don’t know what’s wrong with me…I can’t…I’m sorry…”

“Flug…” Black Hat muttered. “Quiet. I’m not blaming you for anything.” Flug was still shaking. 

“We need to get you home…” Black Hat slowly touched Flug’s head.

“S-sir? What are you doing?” Flug asked. 

“I’m placing a barricade in your mind, something to hold off the Crooked Man for now. I’m stronger than he is, so it should hold until we get home,” Black Hat said. When he was finished he offered his hand to Flug. “Come on Dr. Flug, let’s head home.” 

Flug slowly took his hand and stood, almost falling forward. Black Hat caught him. Seeing how the scientist was in no condition to teleport, they would have to walk.

“Come 5.0.5,” Black Hat said.

~~~

“Demencia, take Flug to his room and be sure to watch him,” Black Hat said. Demencia gave a quick nod, taking Flug from Black Hat’s shoulder and onto her’s. “Come on Fluggy, let’s get you to your room. You can get a new bag and get dry…”

As she walked him slowly, Black Hat turned to 5.0.5. “You, come here.” He curled his finger at the bear. 

5.0.5 slowly approached, afraid. He was prepared for a punishment. A scare, a yelling, he braced for the worse. 

But instead he was met with questions. 

“How did you do it? How did you get Flug’s soul back?” Black Hat asked. “And you! Of all beings, it was you who brought him back! No magic or anything!” He was pacing, ranting on. “How in the bloody hell did you do it? What did you do?!”

5.0.5 shrugged nervously, cowering away. It wasn’t the answer Black Hat wanted to hear. 

“Well what do you have that I don’t? What is it about you that pulled Flug out?” Black Hat asked. “Your connection to him for one, but that wouldn’t help in this case…” Black Hat paused and looked at the bear. “Your…kindness.”

5.0.5 looked up. 

“You have such kindness that no one here has. It must have been that, it’s the only thing that makes sense,” Black Hat said. He looked to 5.0.5. “So in order to keep the demon at bay without magic…Flug needs kindness.” He scoffed. 

“I’ve shown him nothing but kindness these past days! I’ve been feeding him and taking care of him and-” Black Hat paused. “The demon didn’t come out yesterday, when I was taking care of him.”

5.0.5 tilted his head. 

“Don’t you see 5.0.5? I was being kind yesterday, and by doing that, it kept the demon at bay,” Black Hat said. “I just need to continue that kindness until I can figure out a way to get the Crooked Man out of his body.”

Black Hat turned towards the stairs. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a scientist I need to attend to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is my second attempt at trying to upload this
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter!


	4. Sing Sweet Nightingale

The plane had crashed into the building, and he had to crawl out from under the rubble. There was fire, fire was everywhere. He looked towards the wreckage of the plane. The cockpit had been torn from the front, and the rest was on fire. 

He kept crawling away. The right side of his face burned. He reached up to touch it, but quickly flinched away at how it burned to the touch. He looked back to the rubble, his hands shaking as he spoke just one word.

“M-mom?”

His mother had been on that plane. 

“Mom!” He practically threw himself against the rubble, pulling the burning hot metal away. It scorched his flesh and he fell back, writhing in pain. 

The rubble stirred.

“Mom?!”

Arose the Crooked Man, holding his mother, laughing his crooked laugh. 

His mother cried his name. “Flug! Flug save me!”

“I-I’m coming mom!”

The Crooked Man kept laughing. “And the Crooked Man roared as the fire’s turned to night, for never has there been such a crooked sight!”

He bit off his mother’s head.

“NO! NO YOU…YOU BASTARD!”

Flug began to stumble towards the Crooked Man. “I’LL KILL YOU!”

“You can’t kill me Flug.”

Flug stopped and shut his eyes.

“I’m apart of you.”

 

“No!”

He shot awake, sitting up right in bed as he looked around. He was here, he was okay.

He gripped his sides as the fear of the situation set in. The plane crash…his mother…his parents were dead because of him.

He gripped his sides and began to cry. 

His sobbing must have been loud, since in the next minute, Black Hat was in his room with a lit candle. The Eldritch set the candle on his nightstand and sat on his bed. 

“Flug…Flug what’s wrong?” He asked. 

“I-I had a nightmare sir…” Flug muttered. “The plane crash…the Crooked Man…it’s all my fault…”

“Flug,” Black Hat said gently. “It isn’t your fault, what happened is something you can’t change now.”

“It is my fault!” Flug gasped. “I could have done more! I could have gone back and saved her! I could have tried to put the fire out! I could have…I could have…” his breathing was becoming quicker now, deep breaths in and out too quickly for a human. 

“Shh…” Black Hat cooed. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

Flug leaned forward, and Black Hat reluctantly let him lean against him for comfort. He looked at his hands before gently placing them on Flug’s back and rubbing gently. “ Shh…” He had to be nice, he had to be nice.

Flug hugged Black Hat’s sides. “Th-thank you sir…”

“Why don’t you try to sleep again?” Black Hat said gently. 

“B-but the Crooked Man…the nightmare…”

“I’ll be right here,” Black Hat said comfortingly, slowly pushing Flug back against the bed. He slowly pushed the covers back up, tucking the scientist in. “If you need me, just call my name.” 

Flug nodded and slowly relaxed. Black Hat stood up and went to the door, holding up a hand.

He spoke in a language Flug did not understand, making a glowing mark on the door. Flug felt a sense of ease pass over his mind. He slowly, fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. 

Black Hat watched him, constantly on guard for signs of disturbance in the scientist. He didn’t need sleep, it was a fact of the Eldritch. Sleep was not something they needed to survive, however it was a luxury to do so. So many did so. 

Flug slept through the rest of the night. 

~~~

“You never told me where we’re going,” Flug said as Black Hat gently dragged him out the door the next morning. 

“It doesn’t matter, now hurry, I want this confrontation to be over quickly,” Black Hat said. 

Flug asked no more. Black Hat took a breath in and motioned a hand over his own face. He opened his eyes. 

“A disguise, to the human eye, I’m just another one of them,” Black Hat said. 

“It’s not working on me,” Flug said. “And I’m human.”

“You have a demon within you,” Black Hat said. “It’s giving you the ability to see past the disguise.”

“Oh,” Flug said, and he said no more. 

Walking with Black Hat was…awkward to say the least. They barely talked, and Flug wasn’t sure how to hold a conversation with him. 

Black Hat let out a strange sigh as he made as sharp turn that caught Flug off guard. He went into an alleyway. Flug followed after him timidly. 

Black Hat went to a brick wall and ran his hand over it. It suddenly began to…melt. Melt like a burning candle. 

Flug took a step back as the wall turned into the entrance to a…forest.

“Where are we going sir?” Flug asked. 

“To see an old friend of mine…” Black Hat said.

~~~

Black Hat looked to Flug, who looked incredibly nervous as they walked further into the woods. Black Hat extended his elbow to him. “I’m right here,” he said. Kindness…he had to keep being kind.

Flug immediately clung to his arm. “It’s dark in here,” Flug said.

“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of the dark dear Flug,” Black Hat said with a small smile. Flug clung to him tighter. “O-of course not sir!”

They stopped at a dead tree. Flug looked up at it, confused. 

“You wait here,” Black Hat said to him. “She does not take kindly to new visitors…especially possessed visitors.”

“You’re a demon!” Flug said. 

“Well, new visitors that are possessed,” Black Hat said. He slowly shook Flug from his arm. “Don’t worry, nothing will get you as long as you stay near the tree.” 

He slowly entered the tree through the hole in the rotting wood. 

“Nightingale! I know you’re in here,” Black Hat said.

A woman, seemingly gliding, appeared from the other room. She had a cloak of fur, and a bone necklace. She did not have eyes.

“Well, Black Hat! What a surprise,” she said. “What do I owe the honor?”

“I’m here on a favor you owe me,” Black Hat said. Nightingale made a humming sound. “That was over five hundred years ago!” She hissed.

“And you wouldn't be here five hundred years later if not for me,” Black Hat said. Nightingale’s lip curled. “Fine! What..favor would you ask of me?” She asked.

“My scientists, Dr. Flug, you’ve heard of him yes?” Black Hat asked. She nodded as she went back into the other room, pushing a cauldron into the main room they were in. 

“Yes, yes, he’s the…the plane crash one right?” Nightingale asked.

“That one, it would be appear he’s been…possessed,” Black Hat said. 

“Possessed? But you’re in the house, what demon would mess with your own?” Nightingale asked as she tore some of the rotting wood from her walls and tossed it into the cauldron. 

“I have no idea,” Black Hat said. “Anyway, I need you to preform an exorcism.” 

“An exorcism? You must care for him,” she said as she looked into her cauldron, going to the floor and licking it before taking dirt up in her hands and sprinkling it into the cauldron. 

“I don’t care for him, he’s a valuable employee,” Black Hat said. “I need him.”

“Funny, I thought you’d be one to just…throw away a useless piece of trash,” Nightingale said as she took a knife from under her cloak.

“I-“ Black Hat shut his eyes. “I admire him…he’s different than any human I’ve seen. He’s so…pure. Innocence…he’s like freshly fallen snow. Delicate, gentle with everything he does…”

“You demons, always so fascinated with purity,” Nightingale said. “So you want to keep him around since he’s pure.”

“I…” Black Hat looked away. “Yes…I’ve never felt such purity before, it brings calm to me, to the whole house.” 

“Bring him in,” Nightingale said as she slowly cut her own hand, bleeding into the cauldron. 

 

Flug was nervous when meeting Nightingale. 

“Why does he wear a bag?” She asked as she slowly got close to his face, squinting as she looked into his eyes.

“A security blanket,” Black Hat said. Flug trembled as she ran her hands over his temples. 

“Crooked Man, the demon calls himself Crooked Man…” she said. “His power…it isn’t strong enough to take control of…Flug…he will feed again.” 

“Can you preform the exorcism?” Black Hat asked. Nightingale made a tsk sound.

“Exorcism?” Flug asked quickly, turning to look at Black Hat.

“No, I can not, not yet,” Nightingale said. “He is unstable…his soul does not know where the demon ends and his begins. They must separate.” 

Black Hat made a low growling sound. 

“How long does that take?” He asked.

“Days, weeks, months, years, who knows,” Nightingale said. She went to her cauldron. “We can speed up the process. Flug, you must take this medicine two times a day. Once at mid-day, and once at midnight,” Nightingale said. “It will separate your soul from his.”

She dipped a bottle into the cauldron and pulled it out. It was a sluggish green. She put a cork in it and gently placed it in Flug’s hands. 

“Thank you Nightingale, how will we know when their souls have separated?” Black Hat asked.

“You will know…trust me,” Nightingale said. “Take him on walks in nature often,” she said. “Nature will heal his mind from the scars of the demon.”

As the two left, Nightingale caught Black Hat’s arm. “How have you been treating him so far?” She asked. 

“It’s…kindness isn’t it? Kindness keeps the demon inside at bay…right?” Black Hat asked.

Nightingale kept herself from smiling. Yes…let him think it was kindness. That would do, the problem would fix itself. 

“Yes, it is kindness,” she said. “Keep being kind to him.”

Once they had left, she broke into hysterics onto her floor. “Kindness! Ha! Is he in for a surprise…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg, thank you guys so much for all the comments and kudos. They mean the world!

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first work in this fandom. I hope you all enjoy! I hope to update every week. Feedback would be lovely!


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